Drugs

A choice Katrina is going to have to make is whether or not to use drugs during labor. I'm not talking airplane glue or putting a lighter under a spoon. These are the socially acceptable kind. This choice will most likely come on the day depending on how she feels. Or how hard she pulls on my shirt collar. In our lamaze class, they talked about several kinds. There's Demerol, which is technically a narcotic. It doesn't numb you but it certainly takes the edge off. But, they say it penetrates the placenta and your baby will come out very sleepy and possibly in a tie-dye shirt. Besides other variations of the turn on, tune in, drop out variety there's also the alternative -- Epidural. They poke you in the spine and it numbs everything from the waist down for the entire labor. It doesn't penetrate the placenta but it makes it difficult to push when the time comes. Then they literally go in with a vacuum and suck the baby out by the head or use forceps. I'm told I was a forceps baby. But then again, I was a 33-hour labor. I don't even want to do something that feels good for 33 hours. Not my joke, but true nonetheless.

Another drug issue is that Katrina actually has a cold right now. So I'm up to my ankles in snotty tissues and clementine rinds. But she can't take any friggin' medication. How she must long for the slow kiss of NyQuil, the expectation of expectorant, the vapors of VapoRub. Hell, even the placebo effect of a handful of Vitamin-C. All off limits. It's just lots of drinking, bathroom trips, and questioning my lack of snuggling. "I have to stay healthy so I can take care of you," I say. This line of logic doesn't seem to penetrate though. Pregnant ladies need lots of affection, I've learned. That or Haagen Dazs -- the rumors were true.